What were you doing that fateful morning?
I had taken the day off of work. I remember I was surfing the net, and posting on Viola Slatt's old Gossip Club board when I heard on the tv breaking news about a plane crashing into one of the two towers of the wtc. I posted a message there telling folks to turn on their tv's. Little did I know what was to follow. At the time there was just speculation as to what had happened. Accident? Mechanical problems with the plane? Pilot error? I watched the reporting and the live video of the burning tower, when out of no where I sat in stunned disbelief as I saw a second plane fly into the second tower and dissolve into a ball of flame. I remember the shock of the news reporters as this happened and all of a sudden an entire Nation realizing we were under attack. Not long after that news broke of a third plane crashing into the Pentagon, and then reports of a forth plane that had gone down somewhere in the Pennsylvania area. A surreal few hours to say the least. What was happening? Who is next? How widespread is this attack? Why? How? Who? These are all questions that where asked and eventually answered over the next few hours and days.
I watched a Nation in the coming days become united like I never thought possible. One of the great tragedies of that day IMHO was, to see from a political standpoint how quickly that dissolved as politicians began their typical process of trying to use the event to promote their own agendas and standing. Dispicable is the only word I can come up with. The one thing that had brought people together like I had never seen, went on to become one of the most devisive things I have ever seen. And I really believe it was because politicians trying to "make hay" from it. Those who had just days before, declared all of their efforts to seek out, capture and punish those responsible for this, soon saw they had a chance to gain political popularity by opposing the Bush Administration in their efforts. They could not see, for even a minute, helping the Bush Administration in doing anything that might make them look good.
They soon became the "loyal opponent" and began to fight the efforts of the Administration to do what was needed to bring justice to our enemies. Even though many of them had gone on record prior to the events of 9/11, speaking of the evil of these folks, and how they needed to be removed, they were now suddenly fighting those efforts and putting every obstacle imaginable in the way.
Their voice of opposition served to a call for many to stand not only in opposition, but to become angry and mean spirited.
Shame on them! Placing party and politics before Country. At a time when we should all have been united and standing as one, we were now divided and at each others throats.
That has carried through to today as we gear up for another Presidential election cycle. All indicators point to a campaign that will be to divide and destroy the opponent. We have already seen this process with Sarah Palin. She has been castigated by the left at every turn for 3 years now. And the left has been aided, as usual, by the willing and left leaning main stream media. The level of critisism that has been directed to her only demonstrates to me how scared they are of her. But they have been effective in their efforts. Most polls show that she would not do well in a head to head contest with Obama. Will she run? My guess is no. But believe me, whoever comes out on top of the GOP primary, will be under attack by the left and by the media.
I think it will be an ugly and nasty election like we have never seen. Whoever the GOP candidate is, He/She will have to rise above all the muck that will be thrown at them. The current administration has no record to stand on. They only have hate and anger to try and stir up in the electorate, something they did after 9/11 and will do again.
I hope and pray we have the fortitude and strength to see beyond the rhetoric and do the right thing.